[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 130 (Wednesday, July 8, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 36888]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18027]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for the South River, Raritan River Basin, Combined Flood Control and 
Environmental Restoration Project, Middlesex County, New Jersey

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(Corps) is preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for 
proposed measures to provide flood control protection and environmental 
restoration in the South River, Raritan River Basin, New Jersey. For 
this Notice of Intent, the Corps is considering protection measures to 
reduce damages caused by flooding and coastal storms. The EIS will be 
prepared according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers procedures for 
implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, 
(NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), and consistent with the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineer's policy to facilitate public understanding and scrutiny of 
agency proposals. This notice of intent is published as required by the 
President's Council on Environmental Quality regulations implementing 
the provisions of NEPA, 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the action can be 
addressed to Mark H. Burlas, Project Environmental Manager, phone (212) 
264-4663, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, Planning 
Division, 26 Federal Plaza New York, New York 10278-0090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Authorization

    This study is authorized by a U.S. House of Representatives 
resolution dated May 13, 1993. The reconnaissance report, completed in 
May 1995, identified a potential plan of improvement that consists of 
two levees, each approximately 10,000 feet long along opposite banks of 
the South River. The levees would protect the communities of South 
River and Sayerville from a 100-year flood.
    For environmental restoration, we identified a plan of improvement 
to restore the quality of the salt marsh near the Washington Canal. The 
plan would involve the replacement of low quality vegetation in 250 
acres of wetlands to restore an important habitat.

2. Location of the Proposed Action

    This study area is located within the lower Raritan River Basin in 
Middlesex County, New Jersey. The South River is the first major 
tributary of the Raritan River, located approximately 8.3 miles 
upstream of the Raritan River's mouth at the Raritan Bay.
    The South River is formed by the confluence of Matchaponix and 
Manalapan Brooks, just above Duhernal Lake, and flows northward from 
Duhernal Lake Dam for a distance of approximately seven miles, at which 
point it splits into the old South River and the Washington Canal. It 
flows through the Townships of East Brunswick and Old Bridge, and the 
Boroughs of South River and Sayerville.

3. Reasonable Alternative Actions

    In addition to the ``No Action'' alternative, the flood control 
component of the feasibility study will evaluate alternatives such as 
buy-outs, storm gates and flood walls to avoid and minimize impacts to 
coastal wetlands, as well as various levee layouts and heights. The 
environmental restoration component will analyze alternatives to 
restore degraded coastal marshes and tidal ecosystems.

4. Significant Issues Requiring In-Depth Analysis

    1. Coastal Wetlands Impacts; 2. Impacts to Aquatic Resources; 3. 
Archaeological and Cultural Resources Impacts; 4. Hydrology Impacts; 5. 
Economic Impacts.

5. Environmental Review and Consultation

    Review will be conducted as outlined in the Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations dated November 29, 1983 (40 CFR Parts 
1500-1508) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineer regulation ER 200-2-2 dated 
March 4, 1988.

6. Public Scoping Meeting

    A public scoping meeting is tentatively scheduled for July 16, 
1998, at the South River Public Library, (55 Appleby Avenue, South 
River, New Jersey 08816) from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

7. Estimated Date of DEIS Availability

    February 2000.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-18027 Filed 7-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-06-M